ws are practising their manual
for an occasion in which they appear impatient to act. One would think,
Captain St. Jermyn," he added, with a smile of scorn, "that they needed
but little practice to accomplish them for a ceremony which has of late,
since his majesty has extended his merciful arm over this province,
grown to be a familiar piece of military punctilio."

St. Jermyn hastily fled from the room, and rushing out upon the
grass-plot where the guard was collected, cried out:

"Silence, you base and worthless knaves! Is it thus you would insult the
sufferings of an unfortunate enemy, by drumming, under his very ear,
your cursed death-notes? Strike but one note upon that drum again, and I
will have you up to the halberds."

"The music did but try a flourish of the dead march," replied the
sergeant of the guard; "they are a little rusty, and seeing that the
Whig officer"--

"Another word, sir, and you shall be sent to the provost-marshal. Attend
the prisoner."

"I am here," said Butler, who had overheard this conversation, and had
already descended to the door.

With a mournful and heavy heart, though with a countenance that
concealed his emotions under an air of proud defiance, he took his place
in the ranks, and marched to the spot where the court were yet
assembled.

"A chair for the prisoner," said some of the individuals present, with
an officious alacrity to serve him.

"I would rather stand," replied Butler. "It is my pleasure to hear the
behests of my enemies in the attitude a soldier would choose to meet his
foe in the field."

"Mine is a painful duty, Major Butler," said Innis, rising, as he
addressed the prisoner. "It is to announce to you that, after a full and
most impartial trial, in which you have had the advantage of the freest
examination of witnesses, and every favor accorded to you which the
usages and customs of war allow, you have been found guilty of two of
the charges imputed to you in the list with which you were furnished
this morning. Notwithstanding the satisfactory testimony which was given
in your behalf by the girl Mary Musgrove, in relation to your conduct at
the house of Adair, and however disposed the court were to abandon an
accusation which thus seemed to be refuted, it has occurred to them,
upon subsequent reflection, that, by your own confession--given, sir,
permit me to say, with the frankness of a soldier--you came into this
district in disguise and under false name